Tape dispenser and cutter



United States Patent 3,508,692 TAPE DISPENSER AND CUTTER Victor E. Holtan, 34 Turk St., San Francisco, Calif. 94102 Filed June 10, 1968, Ser. No. 735,864

Int. Cl. 1326f 3/02 US. Cl. 225-7 7 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A tape dispenser and cutter for cutting a predetermined length of tape from a rotatably supported roll wherein the free end of the tape is held by impalement while the tape is cut on a cutting blade having a V-shaped cutting edge.

This invention relates to a tape dispenser and cutter of the type employed to permit the user to cut ofi a length of tape from a rotatably supported roll. The invention is not only applicable to the commonly used cellulose tape having a pressure sensitive adhesive on one side but is also particularly applicable to tougher tapes formed of plastic and the like.

Heretofore ta-pe dispensers and cutters adapted to onehand operation have been provided. However, in most instances the cutting edge of such prior art devices has been of the saw tooth type which have required the tape to be pulled against the cutting edge with a considerable amount of force. In some instances the tape in such devices has not been cut cleanly resulting in the tape tearing or being bent over on itself thus wasting the cut length for its intended purpose. In other instances the force required for cutting the tape has been so great that it has been necessary to provide a heavy base to permit one-hand operation or the operator has been required to hold the device with one hand while cutting the tape with the other. It will be understood in such prior art devices that the pull exerted on the tape to effect the cutting step also tends to remove additional tape from the roll thus increasing the possibility of obtaining an undesirable irregular transverse cut or tear on the tape.

Some attempts have been made in the past to correct the above noted deficiencies by providing a snubbing means on the tape, which means has the effect of gripping the tape at a point spaced from the cutting element so as to prevent further removal of the tape from the roll as the cutting step is performed. However, such prior art devices have been quite complicated. One example of a tape dispenser incorporating such a snubbing means is shown in U.S. Patent No. 2,839,140.

The main object of the present invention is to provide a novel tape dispenser and cutting device which incorporates a novel blade to effect a cleaner and more effortless cut even on relatively tough tapes of the plastic type.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a holding means for holding the free end of the tape as the same is cut and which holding means is simpler and more effective than prior art snubbing devices and the like.

Another object of the invention is the provision of an attractive tape dispenser and cutting device which can be manufactured for sale at an economical price.

Other objects and advantages will be apparent from the following specification and from the drawing.

FIG. 1 is a perspective of the tape dispenser and cutter.

FIG. 2 is a side elevation, partly broken away, of the device of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is an end elevation of the device taken from the cutting end.

FIG. 4 is a horizontal sectional view taken in a plane indicated by lines 4-4 of FIG. 2.

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary exploded perspective of a portion of the housing of the device and the associated impaling and cutting elements.

In detail, and first with reference to FIG. 1, the invention includes a housing generally designated 1 which may be formed of fiat plate to provide a central horizontally disposed base portion 2 and provided at one end with a pair of upstanding ears 3, 4 each provided with a slantingly disposed slot 5 in which the journal 6 of the tape roll 7 is rotatably supported. As best seen in FIG. 4, the means for supporting the roll 7 preferably includes a pair of telescopically connected open ended drums 8, 9 which fit within the usual central cylindrical opening in the roll 7. Each drum may be provided with a journal pin 6.

At the opposite end of the base 2 from the ears 3, 4 is an upstanding car 14 which is bent about a radius centered on the axis of rotation of roll 7 to form a cylindrical section for a purpose which will be pointed out later on. Adjacent the upper end of ear 14 the same is provided with an aperture 15 which is preferably square or some other noncircular shape so as to receive therein the complementarily formed end 16 of a support generally designated 17. This support 17 is provided with a threaded extension 18 which is adapted to receive a nut 19' thereon. By this means a cutting blade 22 may be secured to the ear 14 by passing the extension 18 through a central aperture 23 in said blade and tightening nut 19. The blade 22 is curved to substantially the same radius as ear 14 so that when the blade is mounted as shown in FIG. 2 there is no tendency for the latter to swing from its vertically disposed position because of the curvature of the car 14 and the blade 22.

The support 17 is provided with a relatively small diameter bore 25 (FIG. 5) which is oriented vertically for receiving therethrough an impaling element 26 which may be similar to a plain pin having a sharpened end. Said pin 26 is passed through bore 25 with its sharpened end directed upwardly, and a set screw 27 threaded within an axially extending hole 28 in support 17 serves to fixedly secure the pin 26 in place.

Cutting blade 22 is double ended and is provided at one end with a pair of upwardly diverging cutting edges 30, 31 and at its opposite end with a pair of similar downwardly diverging cutting edges 32, 33. When one pair of cutting edges becomes dull, it is a simple matter to release nut 19, rotate the blade 22 to a position with cutting edges 32, 33 uppermost and then tighten nut 19 so that edges 32, 33 become the cutting elements.

In operation, the free end 36 of the tape 7 is pulled outwardly from the roll until the desired length of tape projects past blade 22 and then the outer end is pulled downwardly between cutting edges 30, 31 and into cutting engagement therewith. Before cutting is achieved, however, the tape becomes impaled on the pin 26 so that the uncut free portion of the tape is fixedly secured in place as seen in FIGS. 1 and 2 while the outer end portion of the tape is severed by the cutting edges. An important advantage of the above described structure resides in the shape of the cutting edges 30, 31 which, unlike the usual serrated cutting edges, provides an extremely effective and clean cut thus making it possible to sever the tape with only a feather touch. It is important that the impaling element or pin 26 be extremely slender and sharp so that the same offers no resistance to the tape becoming impaled thereon. Furthermore, when the next length of tape is to be removed and cut the hole formed by the pin 26 is practically unnoticeable and does not in any way affect the usage of the cut tape.

Although the relatively light force required to cut the tape by the above described structure requires very little resistance to the cutting operation, an additional heavier base plate 37 may be fixedly secured to the underside of base 2 if desired. Furthermore, if portability of the device is not essential, suction cups 38 may also be provided on the underside of the base plate 37 for fixedly securing the device to a supporting surface.

It has been found that the above described structure, despite the fact that it is economically manufactured, provides a more effective dispensing and cutting means than has heretofore been possible. It will be noted that the curvature of car 14 and blade 22 promotes a clean out since the free end of the tape must be pulled through an are having a center on the axis of rotation of roll 7 in order to carry out the cutting step. The curvature of the above noted parts therefore promotes a clean cut and at the same time serves to fixedly secure the blade 22 in place without additional holding means.

The above very specific description of the preferred form of the invention is not to be taken as restrictive thereof as it Will be apparent that various modifications in design may be resorted to by those skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the following claims.

I claim:

1. In a tape dispenser and cutter that includes a housing and a rotatably supported roll of tape having a free end portion adapted to be pulled from said roll,

a cutting blade carried by said housing and spaced from said roll and adapted to cut said tape upon movement of said free end portion against said blade,

a pointed element carried by said housing and interposed between said roll and said blade and adapted to impale said tape thereon upon such movement.

2. A device according to claim 1 wherein said blade is formed to provide a pair of intersecting diverging cutting edges adapted to receive said free end portion therebetween.

3. A device according to claim 2 wherein said blade is double ended and provided with a pair of cutting edges at each end for alternative use.

4. A device according to claim 1 wherein said pointed element is a relatively slender elongated pin having a sharp end.

5. A device according to claim 1 wherein said housing is formed of a unitary section of sheet material formed to provide a central base portion, a pair of upwardly bent ears at one end on which said roll is supported and a single upwardly bent car at the opposite end for supporting said blade and pointed element.

6. A device according to claim 5 wherein said blade is removably but fixedly secured to said single ear with one pair of cutting edges directed generally upwardly and said pointed element is adjustably secured to said single ear for vertically adjustable positioning relative to said blade.

7. A device according to claim 1 wherein said blade is curved to a circular arc with its radius of curvature substantially at the axis of rotation of said roll.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS Re. 23,129 7/1949 Borden 225-25 925,351 7/1909 Krauth 225- X FOREIGN PATENTS 175,004 4/1961 Sweden.

FRANK T. YOST, Primary Examiner US. Cl. X.R. 

